A dataset of carbon density in Chinese terrestrial ecosystems (2010s)

As a major player in the carbon pool of the global terrestrial ecosystem, China contributes considerably to the global carbon cycle in terms of both carbon emission and uptake. We collected data on carbon density in Chinese terrestrial ecosystems from literature published during 2004 and 2014 and combined them with relevant experimental data of the same period to build a comprehensive and systematic dataset of vegetation and soil organic carbon density in China. The dataset encompasses forest, grassland, cropland, shrub, and wetland ecosystems in China, and contains carbon density data of major components, including aboveground biomass, underground biomass and soil organic carbon density for different soil depths (0–20 cm and 0–100 cm). The dataset lays valuable scientific foundation for assessments of regional carbon stocks and ecosystem quality, and provides basic data for ecological model optimization.